Myths Debunked: Waxing Vs Shaving

Well ladies, summer is officially here and for many of us, that means it’s time to look extra sleek all over. When it comes to tackling body hair, there are of course many options out there, two of the classics being the trusty razor or a good wax.

But how to choose between the two? While every woman must make the choice for herself at the end of the day, we can arm you with a few fun facts about waxing vs. shaving that can hopefully help you along the way.

Here we’ll take a look at a few myths that have popped up over the years in the hopes of dispelling a few for ourselves once and for all.

Though this one is not actually true in any way, there’s a reason you may think it is. When you shave you’re hair, you’re actually just trimming off the top of it, which in no way interacts with the roots, as they lie several layers of skin beneath the surface. So you’re not actually able to change anything from your hair’s color to growth rate simply by giving yourself a shave.

The birth of this myth however, is probably centered around the fact that when you shave, you’re trimming your hair at its thickest point, which may be why it can sometimes feel a bit thicker and also appear darker at first. As for why it grows in faster? This is because you’re only trimming it, rather than removing the hair follicle like you do when waxing.

Myth #2: You Should Shave Before Going In For a Wax

giphy.com

It’s actually the other way around! Most pros recommend that you let your hair grow out to at least 1/8 inch before going in for a waxing. In fact, you’ll actually get a smoother wax that way.

Myth #3: Waxing Grabs onto Your Skin

giphy.com

A good wax has nothing to do with skin and is actually aimed to grab onto the hairs themselves in order to pull them out by the follicle. This reduces the rate at which your hair will grow back because it has to wait for the next growth cycle.

Myth #4: Shaving Is a Good Way to Exfoliate the Face

pinterest.com

Nope, these are two very different things and should be kept that way! If you do chose to do any facial shaving, such as around the eyebrows, make sure you only use razors- and exfoliates for that matter- that are designed specifically to be used for facial use because the skin is extra sensitive there.

Myth #5: There’s No Need to Exfoliate After Waxing

pinterest.com

Not entirely true. Three days after a wax, you should use sea salt scrub or other gentle exfoliants to keep your pores from getting clogged and minimize ingrown hair potential.

Myth #6: Waxing Throughout Life Will Eventually Guarantee Less Hair Growth

tenor.com

Unfortunately this isn’t always true. Though it can reduce hair growth for some, it all depends on your hair type. For others, it makes no difference at all.

Myth #7: Facial Waxing Causes Skin Stretching and Wrinkles

giphy.com

Not with a good technician, who will make sure and hold your skin as taught as she can throughout the process, which results in very little skin stretching. If you were to go overboard and wax almost every day, this one might be cause for concern, but in that case you should probably be consulting a professional anyway.